Renters and homeowners alike are struggling.
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Cameron Troni, a 24-year-old Uber driver from Chicago, wonders if he’ll ever be able to afford what his parents and grandparents had.
Although the older generation of his family owns homes, “we bought them at a time when they were actually affordable,” he said.
Troni completed one year of college, but dropped out when the pandemic moved everything online, and she doesn’t know what she wants to do next. He drives full-time for Uber and thinks he makes about minimum wage, even during odd hours. On the other hand, rent for a less luxurious mid-range apartment costs $2,000 a month.
“One of the big questions I still don’t have an answer to is why (housing) has become so expensive compared to the wages and incomes we earn from regular jobs,” Troni said. “I feel like that’s the biggest disconnect that even I didn’t understand.”
Troni is never alone. Rent is too high, but so are mortgages, utilities, property taxes, and homeowners insurance. The housing affordability crisis feels like a stranglehold on many Americans’ throats.
A Gallup poll released on April 28 made headlines when it revealed that 55% of respondents said their financial situation was worsening, a record high.
“Affordability remains the primary economic challenge for American households, with cost concerns far outweighing all other economic concerns,” Gallup said in a report accompanying the announcement.
Housing is tied with energy for second place among the things Americans struggle to afford. More than a third of respondents told Gallup they were worried about not being able to pay their rent, mortgage or other housing costs.
Shelter costs have long been recognized as a challenge, but recent increases in accessory housing costs have not helped. As of 2024, property taxes had risen 15% over the past five years, according to data from analytics provider Cotality.
Homeowner insurance costs have soared even further, rising 70% between 2019 and 2025 as insurers struggle to price risks from climate change.
In a recent interview, housing counselor Caitlin Gravelle told USA TODAY that she is constantly fielding calls from people who can’t afford housing, usually seniors or people on fixed incomes.
Gravel said there are few options for such homeowners. In just one recent week, she introduced three people to the food pantry.
Gravel said housing costs aren’t just going up. The same goes for “food, transportation, and everything you need to survive.” On the other hand, “I feel like our support network is diminishing,” she said.
That sentiment applies to Mr. Troni. Troni doesn’t understand why more affordable housing isn’t being built more urgently. “We’ve advanced technologically over the decades, right? Just like on paper, we should be able to do more with less. But these days it feels like we’re doing more with less,” he said.
After all, there are days when you have to make important decisions like, “What should I buy today? Can I afford this?”
